Warriors:The Next Generation Book One:Evil Rising
by TheWarriorsFan0001
Summary: Only four cats have the power to save the four Clans of the forest, BrambleClan, AshClan, SkyClan, and StrayClan, but they are young and must learn of their power before they can do anything. But will they learn in time? Read to find out!
1. Allegiances and Prologue

Warriors: The Next Generation:Book One: The First Apprentice

ALLEGIANCES

BrambleClan

Leader:Tomstar

Deputy:Skyheart

Medicine Cat:Mysticleaf

Warriors:Graystone

Apprentice, Grainpaw

Forestpelt

Apprentice, Specklepaw

Braveheart

Lionmane

Apprentice, Tigerpaw

Dawnsun

Redpelt

Apprentice, Foxpaw

Sunshine

Stormclaw

Owlfeather

Apprentice, Icepaw

Ravenwing

Apprentices:Grainpaw

Specklepaw

Tigerpaw

Foxpaw

Icepaw

Queens:Airpelt- Mother of:

Sparrowkit, Rainkit, Emeraldkit

Arrowstrike- Mother of:

Sweetkit, Lightkit

Spottedpelt- Mother of:

Treekit, Leafkit, Rootkit

Elders:Woodclaw

Brindleheart

Brightspirit

Squirreltail

AshClan

Leader:Sandstar

Deputy:Leafdapple

Medicine Cat:Poppyseed

Warriors:Shroudclaw

Apprentice, Stripepaw

Ranchleaf

Apprentice, Shadowpaw

Mousecloud

Apprentice, Birchpaw

Fernleaf

Apprentice, Snowpaw

Sunclaw

Coniferleaf

Apprentice, Dapplepaw

Apprentices:Stripepaw

Shadowpaw

Birchpaw

Snowpaw

Dapplepaw

Queens:Irontail- Mother of:

Crouchkit, Riverkit

Elders:Leafsheet

Streamleap

StrayClan

Leader:Skystar

Deputy:Russettail

Medicine Cat:Stareyes

Apprentice, Thrushleaf

Warriors:Whitebrush

Apprentice, Greatpaw

Milltail

Apprentice, Hollowpaw

Moorheart

Apprentice, Minepaw

Marshclaw

Apprentice, Windpaw

Highwing

Sycamorebranch

Apprentices:Thrushleaf

Greatpaw

Hollowpaw

Minepaw

Windpaw

Queens:Thunderheart- Mother of:

Snakekit, Pinekit

Rainstripe- Mother of:

Streamkit, Breezekit

Elders:Branchtail

Elmclaw

SkyClan

Leader:Brackenstar

Deputy:Duststripe

Medicine Cat:Pinetail

Apprentice, Nettlepaw

Warriors:Frostypelt

Apprentice, Cloudpaw

Tallclaw

Apprentice, Whitepaw

Ashstripe

Apprentice, Barkpaw

Mudtail

Runningleaf

Apprentice, Jaggedpaw

Raggedtail

Blackstripe

Apprentices:Cloudpaw

Whitepaw

Barkpaw

Jaggedpaw

Queens:Specklewhisker- Mother of:

Spearkit, Sandkit

Heavyclaw- Expecting kits

Featherwhisker- Mother of

Mistykit, Mosskit, Moonkit

Elders:Leopardstripe

Loudstorm

Swingcloud

PROLOGUE

StarClan gathered together in a grassy clearing to discuss important news. Great changes were coming to the Clans of cats below the stars. A silver tom stood up to begin the meeting. "Is a cat from every Clan present?" he asked. No cat replied so he figured the answer was yes. "Then let's start this meeting." He paused. "We all know the prophecy and I want to know when you all think we should tell the four kits of their destiny."

"The kits are too young to know of their true power, Streamstar." a brown tabby tom replied, standing up. "I believe the kits will use that information to make them popular and so the other cats will think they are the best warriors in the Clan."

A tabby she-cat stepped up. "Smokefur, don't you think they have the right to know?" the she-cat mewed. "They are a cat just like you and me and I think that many other people agree they should know.

"I see why you would think that, Browntail, but as I said before, they are kits. They would tell every cat in the Clan." Smokefur replied to Browntail's retort.

"And why is that such a bad thing?" Browntail asked.

"Because Tomstar would treat them differently then the other cats and so the Clan would go into turmoil." Streamstar replied instead of Smokefur. "We already have one Clan hopelessly in danger, we don't need two."

"AshClan will be just as well off as BrambleClan in the end, you wait and see, Streamstar." an old cat stepped forward. "I remember a time when AshClan fought against all three of the other Clans yet they still prevailed."

"Yes, Cloudfire, because your Clan used devilish tactics!" growled another old cat, this time from StrayClan. "The rest of the Clans had no choice but retreat so we didn't suffer any deaths."

"Enough of this!" Streamstar mewed. "This is not the topic we came here to discuss. What was done was done and I'm sure no one is proud of that day. But an even greater battle is going to come to the Clans and each of the Clans will have to work together to stop it or they will crumble and fall."

Silence crept into the clearing. Then Browntail broke the silence. "Then we have to find a way to unite the Clans?"

"Not yet." Streamstar replied. "First we have to settle AshClan's problem. Sandstar is in great trouble. We all know that Shroudclaw is recruiting warriors against her. He's going to take over sooner or later."

"But if he kills Sandstar, won't Leafdapple be leader, not Shroudclaw?" Smokefur brought up.

"Not if they kill Leafdapple and Sandstar." Streamstar mewed. "And I say that Brightstar go to Sandstar and warn her of the danger stirring in her Clan."

Brightstar, who hadn't said a word the whole meeting, took a step forward. "I would be honored to, Streamstar. As a former leader of AshClan I need to do the best I can for it. Shall I go into her dreams now?"

"Yes," Streamstar replied without hesitation. "The sooner the better."

Brightstar nodded. "You can count on me." She turned and headed away from the clearing. As she left a new cat approached. It was a young black tom. In fact, it was a kit.

"What are you doing here, kit?" Streamstar asked the kit.

"I'm Strongkit and I'm from AshClan." the kit mewed. "I don't know why I'm here. Where am I and where's Irontail?"

"You're in StarClan now, Strongkit. What is the last thing you remember?" Streamstar asked Strongkit.

"I remember Shroudclaw taking me for a walk and telling me that he was going to teach me to fish. Then he threw me in and then I was here." Strongkit told the rest of the cats. Streamstar was shocked. He knew Shroudclaw was evil but killing a kit was too much. He had to be stopped.

"Well that's quite a story." Streamstar meowed. "And I think you deserve to live the rest of your life in StarClan with a warrior name."

"Really?" Strongkit asked. "Can you do that?"

"Of course I can." Streamstar replied. He thought for a second and then knew the perfect name. "Strongkit, you were murdered unfairly by an evil cat and now deserve a warrior name. I now name you, Strongheart."

Sandstar fell into deep sleep. She was in a field and a cat was walking toward her. "Hello, Sandstar." the white she-cat greeted her. "I am Brightstar. I used to be the leader of AshClan, just like you are."

"Nice to meet you, Brightstar." Sandstar dipped her head to the former leader. "What message do you have for me?"

"I warn you of an evil rising in your Clan. Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open for there are cats within your Clan that are going to kill you when the time is right. They will first try to weaken you by making your faith in StarClan weak. They will kill off their Clanmates and eventually they will lead. Pay attention of this is what lays in your future." Brightstar mewed.

"Thank you, Brightstar. This is horrible news but now that I know about I can put an end to it before any cats are killed." Sandstar mewed. Suddenly, she was awakened by Irontail.

"Sandstar! Sandstar!" the queen whispered when she knew Sandstar was awake. "Strongkit is missing! He's nowhere in camp or the nursery."

"Did you check the rest of the other dens?" Sandstar asked. The leader was wide awake now. Could this be the beginnings of what Brightstar had warned her of?

"Shroudclaw said he'd do it for me." Irontail replied.

"Shroudclaw was awake?" Sandstar asked.

"He still is." Irontail replied.

"Then we'll let him know that tomorrow we'll have to search the whole entire forest for him. We will not rest until we find him." Sandstar promised. _Or we find his remains..._


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE:

Ambush

Sparrowkit woke up at the break of dawn. He sat up and yawned. _What am I going to do today?_ He wondered to himself. He looked over to his brother and sister.

Emeraldkit, his brother, yawned and looked around, waking up just as he did. "Morning, Sparrowkit!" he said loudly.

"Shut up, mousebrain, you'll wake up-" Sparrowkit was interrupted by Airpelt, his mother.

"Be quiet!" whispered their mother. She made sure to be quiet because there were other kits in the nursery. "Do you want to wake Treekit, Leafkit, and Rootkit?" Sparrowkit nodded and saw his sister, Rainkit, start to stir.

"Then can Emeraldkit and I go out and play?" Sparrowkit asked innocently.

"As long as you don't wake anybody up." Airpelt mewed. "And if you do you'll be in the nursery for the rest of the moon."

"Yes, Airpelt." Emeraldkit and Sparrowkit said together. They waited a second and then ran out of the nursery and into the clearing that was the BrambleClan camp. "Let's go see Tomstar!" Sparrowkit suggested.

"But Airpelt said we can't wake anybody up!" Emeraldkit debated.

"Who cares what the grumpy cat says! She just doesn't want us to have any fun!" Sparrowkit mewed running towards Tomstar's den.

Suddenly, Sparrowkit saw white and was on the ground. He looked up and saw the BrambleClan deputy Skyheart looking down at him with amusement. "Were you two about to go and pay another early morning visit to Tomstar?" he asked.

"I told Sparrowkit that it wasn't a good idea!" Emeraldkit told immediately.

"Don't worry," Skyheart reassured. "I won't tell Airpelt if you promise to leave Tomstar alone for a little while."

"I promise." Emeraldkit mewed.

"And now it's your turn, Sparrowkit" Skyheart mewed.

"I promise." Sparrowkit mewed.

"Thanks. Now you two go play around somewhere else." Skyheart mewed walking toward the fresh-kill pile.

"He's so cool!" Emeraldkit mewed. "When I'm a where I'm going to be just like him!"

"So you're going to be a boring old grump, who doesn't know how to have a good time?" Sparrowkit retorted.

"Lighten up!" Emeraldkit mewed. "Let's try to have a little fun." Emeraldkit thought for a minute. "I bet that Tigerpaw and Specklepaw are up so let's go talk to them."

They walked toward the apprentice's den and sure enough Tigerpaw and Specklepaw walked out just then.

"Hey, kits." Tigerpaw greeted them.

"Hi, Tigerpaw! Hi, Specklepaw!" the kits both greeted back.

"What's it like to be a warrior?" Emeraldkit asked the apprentices.

"That a stupid question!" Sparrowkit scolded him brother. "They're only apprentices so how in StarClan's name would they know how it's like to be a warrior?"

"I don't know." Emeraldkit mewed sadly.

"Don't be too hard on him." Specklepaw mewed. "I remember a time when you would've asked the same question, Sparrowkit."

"I never would've." Sparrowkit sneered.

"If you say so." Tigerpaw mewed. "Now, let's get some breakfast." Tigerpaw and Specklepaw headed for the fresh-kill pile leaving the kits in the dust.

"Hey!" Sparrowkit yelled. "Wait up!" The kits ran after them. The sun had already risen so no one told him to be quiet. The warriors were supposed to start waking up then anyway.

The apprentices didn't look back until the kits were right behind them. "You kits are so slow!" Tigerpaw joked. "When we were kits we were the fastest cats in the whole Clan besides Skyheart."

Tigerpaw took a vole off the top of the pile and sat down. Specklepaw was right behind him with a squirrel. Sparrowkit decided he wasn't hungry so he just sat down in front of the apprentices.

"What are you two going to do today?" Emeraldkit asked Tigerpaw and Specklepaw.

"Depends what our mentors think of." Specklepaw replied. "We could hunt, practice battle moves, or learn new hunting moves."

"I prefer practicing battle moves." Tigerpaw put in. Sparrowkit nodded. Sparrowkit hoped to be the best fighter the Clans had ever seen. Emeraldkit didn't have that kind of ambition and just wanted to be a great warrior.

"That's not all a warrior does though." a tom's voice came from behind them. Sparrowkit turned to see Lionmane, Tigerpaw's mentor, walking up to his apprentice. "Today we'll be hunting." Lionmane looked to Specklepaw. "Forestpelt isn't feeling well so I'm going to take you hunting with us."

"Okay." Specklepaw mewed. "Can we finish eating first?"

Lionmane nodded. "I don't see why not." He walked away leaving the apprentices to finish their meal. Once they were finished the stood up and bid farewell to the kits.

"We'll see you later, kits!" Specklepaw mewed as she walked away with Tigerpaw.

Sparrowkit and Emeraldkit watched them leave with Lionmane. Then Sparrowkit got a great idea. "Let's follow them!"

"That's sounds like a great idea." Rainkit mewed from right next to them.

Sparrowkit was surprised. "Are you sure?" asked Sparrowkit. "We might get in trouble if we're caught."

"You guys always get to have all the fun. Now it's my turn to join in!" she said.

_This can't be Rainkit,_ thought Sparrowkit, _but I hope it is because we could have so much more fun with three cats instead of two!_

"Alright then!" Emeraldkit mewed. "Let's go before their scent trail fades!" Sparrowkit nodded his head and the three kits headed out of the entrance without any other cat seeing them.

Rainkit found the scent right away. "I think they're just following the trail right now." Rainkit mewed. Emeraldkit and Sparrowkit followed their sister across the territory until Emeraldkit started to fall behind.

"What's up, Emeraldkit?" Rainkit asked.

"I smell something weird." he replied. "I don't know exactly what it is."

Sparrowkit smelled the air. "I smell it too. I think it's cats but it's definitely not any BrambleClan cats."

"Maybe it's another Clan coming to attack!" Emeraldkit mewed.

Rainkit started to follow the other Clans scent trail and found that it followed the BrambleClan patrol's scent trail. "They're after Lionmane, Specklepaw, and Tigerpaw!" she exclaimed.

"You could be right!" Sparrowkit mewed. "So, it looks as if it's up to us to save them!"

"No." Rainkit mewed. "I think you should go back and tell the Clan what's happening."

Sparrowkit moaned. "Why can't Emeraldkit do it?"

"Because you're going to." Rainkit mewed. "Now go! We don't have much time!"

Sparrowkit turned and ran as fast as he could toward the BrambleClan camp. It took him only a minute to get there. As he got into the clearing he ran into Tomstar. "Sparrowkit, what are you doing outside the camp?"

"No time to explain!" Sparrowkit rasped for air. When he caught his breath he explained the situation to Tomstar.

Tomstar turned and leaped onto the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough the catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he called. The BrambleClan cats came out and Tomstar explained the situation to them. "I want Skyheart to lead a patrol following Sparrowkit to help the patrol and I will stay behind and guard the camp with a few other warriors in case they turn around and attack camp."

"Owlfeather, Ravenwing, Sunshine, Redpelt, Foxpaw, and Braveheart, come with me." Skyheart mewed. "Lead on, Sparrowkit."

Sparrowkit lead the warriors across the territory in search of the patrol. After a while they heard the sounds of fighting. As they neared the edge of the territory Sparrowkit saw Tigerpaw, Specklepaw, Lionmane, and Rainkit standing across from another line of cats. But where was Emeraldkit?

Then he saw that the biggest cat from the other group held Emeraldkit in his claws. "Let him go, Shroudclaw!" Skyheart yowled sprinting over. Sparrowkit was right behind.

"Why should I?" Shroudclaw growled back. "We outnumber you!"

The other cats of the patrol picked the right time to jump out of cover and run right behind Skyheart. "Not anymore." Skyheart mewed.

Shroudclaw threw Emeraldkit into the air and him and the other cats ran off. Skyheart caught Emeraldkit before he could hit the ground.

"Are you okay, Emeraldkit?" Skyheart asked the kit. Sparrowkit saw that his brother's eyes were wide open. "Let's get back to camp." Skyheart mewed. "Emeraldkit's had a rough time. He needs a nap."

So the BrambleClan cats headed back to camp wondering why Shroudclaw had attacked and why neither his leader nor deputy was there.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO:

Midnight Talk

Once the BrambleClan cats were back in camp Emeraldkit was rushed to Mysticleaf's, the medicine cat, den. Airpelt was waiting for Sparrowkit. He guessed she had heard it was his idea to go out there in the first place.

"What did you think you were doing?" she yowled furiously. "And bringing Rainkit and Emerald! You could've gotten hurt or killed!"

"But if I wouldn't have gotten them to come then Tigerpaw, Specklepaw, and Lionmane would be dead." Sparrowkit protested.

"The way I hear it the only cats that were in danger when you showed up were the other cats, AshClan I believe, and your brother." Airpelt meowed, still furious.

"Yes, but-" Sparrowkit was intrerrupted by Tomstar calling from the Highrock.

"All cats old enough to hunt for their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Tomstar yowled. Most of the Clan were already out of the dens anyway so Tomstar didn't wait long to begin talking. "As you all know, AshClan were just on our territory and threatening to murder Emeraldkit. Sandstar and Leafdapple were not there, suggesting that Shroudclaw did this of his own accord not AshClan. Tigerpaw and Specklepaw were there and kept there cool, using all of their warrior instincts. So today they will become warriors."

Tigerpaw and Specklepaw both looked shocked.

Tomstar smiled. "I, Tomstar, leader of BrambleClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I recommend them to you as warriors in their turn. Specklepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." mewed Specklepaw.

Tomstar turned to Tigerpaw. "Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warriors code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." mewed Tigerpaw.

"Then by the power of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Tigerpaw: from this day on you will be known as Tigerstripe." Tomstar touched his nose to Tigerstripe's head. Then he moved on to Specklepaw. "Specklepaw: from this day on you will be known as Specklewhisker." Tomstar repeated the process onto Specklewhisker. "Specklewhisker and Tigerstripe will sit vigil tonight and go until morning. But for now they may have their first meal as warriors."

"Tigerstripe! Specklewhisker!" the Clan rejoiced by yelling the new warriors new names.

"Also, I need to name new apprentices." Tomstar mewed. Sparrowkit wondered if he'd finally be an apprentice. But then he realized that after sneaking out of camp today he wouldn't be becoming an apprentice, and Emeraldkit wasn't even at the ceremony.

"Sweetkit, from this day on until you get your warrior name you will be known as Sweetpaw. Stormclaw will be your mentor." Stormclaw walked over to the apprentice and touched his nose to her head.

"Lightkit, from this day on until you get you warrior name you will be known as Lightpaw. Braveheart will be your mentor. Braveheart padded over to his new apprentice and touch his nose to Lightpaw's head.

{LATER THAT NIGHT} Emeraldkit settled into his den and curled into his mother's stomach. He had been allowed to sleep into the nursery that night.

The AshClan warrior that had almost killed him made him stay up. He thought that if he went to sleep he would come in and kill him.

Emeraldkit decided to get something to eat so he stood up and headed toward the fresh-kill pile. He noticed Specklewhisker look back at him for a second. Then she looked away. Emeraldkit sat down next to the fresh-kill pile and took the smallest mouse he could find. It smelled a little odd but he took no notice.

He took the first bite and realized it tasted as good as it smelled. But he still ate the whole thing. But then he felt a stabbing pain in his stomach. "Owww!" he winced, trying his best to be quiet. He crawled to the medicine cat's den and found Mysticleaf awake and sorting herbs.

"What's wrong, Emeraldkit?" Mysticleaf asked him.

"I have a really bad stomach ache." He moaned. Mysticleaf nodded.

"Have you eaten anything recently?" she asked.

"I just ate a mouse." he mewed.

Mysticleaf gave him a few juniper berries and Emeraldkit licked them up. He started to feel a little better. "Thanks, Mysticleaf!" he said.

"Your welcome." Mysticleaf mewed.

Emeraldkit padded out of her den and into the camp. He noticed Specklewhisker watching him again. _Probably just wondering if I'd be okay. Maybe she wants me to be her apprentice._ Emeraldkit thought. And he wanted to be her apprentice.

He got into the nursery and curled into her mother's belly. He forgot all about the AshClan warrior and fell into deep sleep.

{MORNING} Rainkit woke up and stretched. She walked out of the nursery and noticed that her brothers were still sleeping. The only cats in the clearing were Tigerstripe and Specklewhisker, who were sitting by the fresh-kill pile. Skyheart walked out of the warriors den and walked toward them.

"Were there any signs of AshClan?" asked Skyheart as Rainkit was coming toward them.

"No, but Emeraldkit had a stomch ache in the middle of the night. He went to see Mysticleaf and then went back to the Nursery." Specklewhisker reported.

_Emeraldkit was sick?_ Rainkit thought. She let the thought go through her mind.

She came up behind the new warriors and her the deputy mewed. "I smell trouble."

"Morning, Rainkit." Specklewhisker greeted. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Yes," she mewed thinking of a question. "Aren't you two tired? You were up all night."

"She's right." Skyheart mewed. "You two should go get some rest."

"Yes, Skyheart." mewed Tigerstripe. The two warriors headed for the apprentices den. "Wait, Tigerstripe!" Specklewhisker mewed. "I suppose we go to the warrior's den now."

"Oh yeah!" Tigerstripe mewed. "Awesome!" The two changed direction and padded into their new den.

"So, Rainkit, who do you think you want to your mentor to be when you are apprenticed?" asked Skyheart.

"I'm going to be Mysticleaf's apprentice." she replied. She had always had an interest in herbs and healing.

"So, you are going to BrambleClan's future medicine cat?" Skyheart asked.

"I hope so." Rainkit meowed back. She could be really bad at medicine cat stuff and have to become a warrior instead. She hoped that would never happen because she didn't like having to hurt other cats.

"Go to Mysticleaf and tell her that your going to be her new apprentice." Skyheart suggested. "She might even teach you something early."

Rainkit smiled. "Thanks, Skyheart."

She started walking toward the medicine cat den. She walked in and saw Mysticleaf sorting her herbs. "Another kit from Airpelt!" she laughed. "I just had Emeraldkit in here. I wonder when Sparrowkit is going to be in here."

"Knowing Sparrowkit, very soon." Rainkit laughed.

Mystlicleaf smiled. "What are you here for, Rainkit. Not a belly ache, right?"

"No," Rainkit mewed. "I was hoping I could be your apprentice when I become one."

"That would definitely work!" Mysticleaf mewed excitedly. "Did you tell Skyheart or Tomstar yet?"

"I just told Skyheart." Rainkit replied.

"Good that means none of the other kits can take your place. I have a feeling that one of Spottedpelt's kits would want to have the job." Mysticleaf mewed.

"How much longer is it until I am apprentice?" asked Rainkit.

"A little less than a moon." Mysticleaf responded. "You are already five moons old! Can you believe it?"

"It feels like I'm as old as Tomstar." Rainkit mewed.

"I'd hope not!" Mysticleaf joked. "He was leader when I was born!"

Rainkit laughed.

"Now let's see if I can teach you anything while you here." Mysticleaf mewed.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE:

AshClan Apologizes

Sandstar had just gotten back from looking for the missing kit and they found Strongkit's dead body washed up along the river. Irontail had taken it badly. But she couldn't worry about it. She wondered who would murder a kit like that. Then she remembered that Shroudclaw had been awake when Irontail had went looking for Strongkit. Could he be the danger?

_I think I'll have a little talk with Shroudclaw_, Sandstar thought. She headed toward the medicine cat's den to discuss it with her medicine cat first. "Poppyseed!" she called.

"Yes, Sandstar?" asked Poppyseed. "What's going on?"

"Strongkit is dead." Sandstar mewed. "He was thrown into the river."

Poppyseed's eyes went wide with horror and shock. "Do you mean murdered?"

"Yes." Sandstar mewed sadly. "And I think Shroudclaw is responsible."

Poppyseed was equally surprised by this. "But Shroudclaw has always been a very loyal warrior! I don't think you're thinking about this rationally."

"He was the only cat awake at the time of the murder." Sandstar mewed. "I would love to believe that he wasn't responsible but the evidence is right in front of our eyes."

"They only evidence is that he was awake!" Poppyseed hissed. "It could've been a rogue or a cat from another Clan!"

"There was no scent besides AshClan near the Nursery." Sandstar mewed. "And I had a dream last night before Irontail woke me up." Sandstar didn't know if she was suppposed to tell Poppyseed but she knew this was the only way to convince Poppyseed. "An old AshClan leader came to me and told me that cats of this Clan are trying to kill me and that they are going to do terrible things to the Clan first. And I think Strongkit's death was the first."

Suddenly Sunclaw ran into the den. "Shroudclaw just took a few warriors to attack BrambleClan!"

"Thanks for telling me." Sandstar nodded. Sunclaw looked surprised by how calm she was but walked out. "And I think this is the second."

"How?" Poppyseed asked.

"Shroudclaw is going to ruin our reputation by attack the other Clans, or at least BrambleClan. So, I say we apologize to BrambleClan personally tomorrow and make things right." Sandstar replied.

"That's sounds great." Poppyseed mewed. "Now, let's go deal with Shroudclaw."

{THE NEXT MORNING}Poppyseed opened her eyes. She remembered what was in store for them today. Poppyseed stood up and gathered all the traveling herbs they would need. She ate hers and went out of the den to give Sandstar hers.

But Sandstar was leaping on the Highstump already to call a meeting. "All cat who are still loyal come meet with me in the clearing by the Highstump." Sandstar changed the words from the regular gathering. All the cats except the cats who had went with Shroudclaw came out. They had been punished by not being allowed to leave their dens except to eat and patrol.

"Poppyseed and I are going to travel to the BrambleClan camp. After Shroudclaw led an unprovoked attack on BrambleClan the least we can do is try to make peace. We do not want war." Sandstar mewed.

"Leafdapple is in charge while we're gone and Sunclaw will be backup deputy just in case." Sandstar continued. "Come, Poppyseed. We will leave now."

"Yes, Sandstar." Poppyseed mewed, forgetting about the traveling herbs.

The walked out of camp and across their territory.

{AT THE BRAMBLECLAN BORDER} "We'll have to wait for a border patrol." Sandstar mewed. They waited for a few moments and then a patrol came.

Skyheart, the BrambleClan deputy, lead a patrol to the border.

"Hello, Sandstar. What brings you so close to our territory again?" asked Skyheart.

"I am deeply sorry for my warriors. I have come to talk to Tomstar and apologize personally to all whom were involved." Sandstar mewed.

Skyheart thought a minute. "Okay, come with us." The patrol led them down a path. Poppyseed was aware of a gray she-cat staring at them.

"Quit staring, Graystone." Skyheart mewed, noticing his warriors strange behavior. "No Clan is stupid enough to show up with two cats, let alone one being a medicine cat, and attacking."

"Sorry." Graystone mumbled.

"Don't scold her too hard." Sandstar mewed. "I'd be causious as well."

Graystone was smiled at the AshClan leader. Poppyseed wondered how long it would take to get to camp. A minute later they reached the BrambleClan camp and a kit started running toward them.

"Trespassers!" the kit was older but wasn't an apprentice yet. "They smell like the cats that tried to kill Emeraldkit yesteryday! the kit growled.

"My warriors tried to kill a kit?" Sandstar mewed, shocked. Poppyseed wondered if she remembered how hard she had tried to persuade Poppyseed that Shroudclaw had killed Strongkit.

"Sadly, yes." Tomstar mewed walking up. "What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, trespassers!" the kit growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Quiet, Sparrowkit!" a queen rushed up and shooed the kit away.

"We are here to apologize for my warriors behavior yesterday." Sandstar mewed.

Tomstar thought for a minute, wondering if he should keep the AshClan cats in his camp. "So, why was it your warriors attacked us yesterday and almost killed an innocent kit?"

"I did not send them. A warrior name Shroudclaw decided to attack." Sandstar mewed.

"And what happened to Shroudclaw?" Tomstar asked. "How did you punish him?"

"Him and his followers are stuck in the warriors den. They can not come out except for patrols and to eat." Sandstar mewed.

Tomstar shook his head. "If I were you I'd tried for a better punishment because that just gives them more chance to discuss ways to overthrow you."

"Intriguing thought." Sandstar mewed. "I will take this into consideration." Sandstar thought of what to say next. "Is the kit that Shroudclaw tried to kill okay?" she asked.

"Yes." Tomstar mewed. "But I want you to apologize to him in person so he no longer needs to be scared."

Sandstar nodded. "I planned on doing that."

The kit came out. He looked scared. "Hello." Sandstar greeted the kit. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to apologize. Yesterday something bad happened and I want you to know that the warrior that did that will never get to you. His name is Shroudclaw and I assure you Shroudclaw will be locked up in his den for a long time."

The kit looked less frightened. "Thank you." he squeaked.

"I thank you as well, Sandstar." Airpelt mewed. "Now my kit won't be afraid anymore."

"My pleasure." Sandstar dipped her head to the queen. "I just wanted to make sure our Clans wouldn't get into a needless dispute. And if you don't mind Poppyseed and I are going to go back to AshClan now."

"Okay, Sandstar." mewed Tomstar. "See you at the next Gathering. May StarClan light your path!" he called after them.

"You too!" she called back as Skyheart and Forestpelt led them back to their territory.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR:

Apprentice Ceremonies

Sparrowkit watched as Sandstar and Poppyseed left the camp. He yearned to follow them but he had promised himself that he'd cause no more trouble for a while.

Sparrowkit soon forgot about the AshClan cats appearance and walked toward the fresh-kill pile. Braveheart and his new apprentice, Lightpaw, were sitting and talking as well as Tigerstripe, Specklewhisker, and Dawnsun.

"Hi, Sparrowkit." Dawnsun greeted him. Tigerstripe turned his head, as well as Specklewhisker.

"Hey, Sparrowkit." Tigerstripe and Specklewhisker said.

"When is your apprentice ceremony?" asked Dawnsun. Sparrowkit thought for a minute.

"A couple of day away, maybe." suggested Sparrowkit.

"It may be sooner than that." Tomstar mewed walking up to the group.

"Who's going to be Sparrowkit, Emeraldkit, and Rainkit's mentors?" Dawnsun asked her leader.

"Why, were you hoping you would be a mentor?" asked Tomstar.

"Yeah, sort of." Dawnsun mewed.

"Mysticleaf will mentor Rainkit and Skyheart said he'd like to mentor Sparrowkit." Tomstar mewed. "So that's means that you can mentor Emeraldkit."

"Sounds great to me!" Dawnsun mewed happily.

"Great. We'll hold the ceremony later today." Tomstar meowed happily.

Sparrowkit was beginning to get excited. _I get the deputy as my mentor! _He thought.

He ran to the nursery to tell his mother. "Mother! Mother!" he yowled.

"Quiet!" shushed Airpelt. "You're going to wake Treekit, Leafkit, and Rootkit. Now, what's so important?"

"I'm going to be an apprentice! And Skyheart going's to be my mentor!" Sparrowkit squealed happily not changing his volume.

"That great!" Airpelt mewed smiling. "Maybe Skyheart will be able to known some sense into you so that you aren't so much of a trouble-maker any more."

"I'm not a trouble-maker!" he protested. Airpelt let out a _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Of course your not." Airpelt laughed.

"I'm _not_!" he whined.

"That's what I said." Airpelt laughed.

Sparrowkit smiled at her and then ran out of the nursery to tell Rainkit and Emeraldkit they'd be sleeping in the apprentices den that night. He found Rainkit in Mysticleaf's den. "Did you tell her the good news?" Sparrowkit asked.

"What good news?" asked Mysticleaf.

"We're becoming apprentices tonight!" Sparrowkit mewed happily. Rainkit jumped with joy and Mysticleaf smiled at her apprentice's happiness.

"I'm going to go tell Emeraldkit!" Sparrowkit declared, racing out of the medicine cat's den and into the clearing. He saw Emeraldkit talking with Dawnsun and realized that he must have already heard the news. So, he decided to say goodbye to the Treekit, Leafkit, and Rootkit.

As he walked into the nursery he was bombarded by three tiny bundles of fur. The three kits wrestled him onto the ground. Eventually Sparrowkit overpowered them and threw them off. "Sparrowkit, are you really going to leave the nursery?" asked Leafkit.

"Yes." Sparrowkit mewed. "I'm going to be an apprentice come tomorrow. Last night was the last night that I will ever sleep in the nursery."

"Then we'll come with you and sleep in the apprentice's den." Rootkit mewed. "Right, Treekit and Leafkit?"

"Yeah!" the two other kits chorused.

"Not for a few more moons." Spottedpelt, their mother, laughed.

Sparrowkit spent the rest of the day playing with Treekit, Leafkit, and Rootkit and after a while Tomstar leaped on the Highrock to call a Clan meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he called.

Slowly the warriors of BrambleClan filled the clearing below the Highrock and the meeting began.

"Today I am naming three kits apprentices. Rainkit, Emeraldkit, and Sparrowkit, please step forward." Tomstar mewed.

They stepped in front of the crowd.

For now Mysticleaf stepped forward. "From this day on Rainkit will be known as Rainpaw and will be my apprentice until she earns her full medicine cat name."

Mysticleaf touched her nose to Rainpaw's head.

"Emeraldkit, from this day on until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Emeraldpaw. Dawnsun will be your mentor." Tomstar mewed.

Dawnsun padded up to her new apprentice and touched her nose to his head.

"Sparrowkit, from this day on until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Sparrowpaw. Skyheart will be your mentor." Tomstar ended. "Now everyone have a good night!"

{THE NEXT MORNING}Sparrowpaw woke up and looked around. _Where's Airpelt?_ he wondered. Then he remembered he was in the apprentice's den.

He noticed he was the only apprentice still sleeping so he quickly stood up and hurried out of his new den. The camp was already busy. That's when he realized he had really slept in.

Skyheart started walking toward him. "I hope you had a good sleep because you missed a patrol." Skyheart mewed sounding sort of upset. _On my first day as an app__rentice I screw up! That's just great!_

"Sorry." Sparrowpaw muttered. "I was really tired last night. I played with Treekit, Leafkit, and Rootkit all afternoon."

"Well, now since I don't have time to teach you any hunting moves we're just going to go on a border patrol when Emeraldpaw and Dawnsun get back from hunting practice." Skyheart mewed. "And in the meantime you can get new moss for the elders' bedding."

"But-" Sparrowpaw held his tongue. He was an apprentice now and that's what apprentices did. "Yes, Skyheart." He walked out of the camp and realized he had no idea where the extra moss was. He decided to ask Mysticleaf. So, Sparrowpaw headed back into camp and into the medicine cat's den. "Where's the moss to replace the elder's bedding?" he asked Mysticleaf.

"I'll show you." Mysticleaf mewed. She turned her head to Rainpaw who was sorting herbs behind her. "You come too."

"Okay." Rainpaw mewed. Mysticleaf led the apprentices out of the den and the camp to a little glade not to far away from the camp. "This is where the best moss grows.

"Thanks." Sparrowpaw mewed digging some up. He shaked the dirt off the bottom and headed back to camp. He went to the elder's den right away and gave it to the only one that was awake, Brightspririt.

"Thanks, Sparrowpaw." the old she-cat mewed. "I was getting tired of this stinky moss from last moon."

"I'll get rid of this one for you." Sparrowpaw offered picking up the old moss in his claws.

"Thanks, again." Brightspirit mewed. Sparrowpaw nodded and took the old moss out of the camp. He threw into some bushes and went back to camp. By the time he was back Emeraldpaw, Dawnsun, and Skyheart were waiting for him

"Brightspririt say you did very well." Skyheart mewed. "Good job. Now let's get this border patrol going." Sparrowpaw followed Dawnsun and Skyheart out of the camp and toward the border.

They went on for a while without scenting anything until they scented AshClan. "I smell AshClan." he growled.

"I do too." Dawnsun mewed. "And I think I also smell... blood."

Skyheart looked at Dawnsun funny. "Are you sure?" He sniffed the air and sure enough faint blood scent was in the air. The followed the border and a few steps later, behind a tree, was a gruesome sight.

Sparrowpaw's mouth dropped open as he saw the bloody body of Foxpaw, halfway between the BrambleClan border and AshClan. "Shroudclaw." growled Emeraldpaw.

"Redpelt will be devastated." Dawnsun said. "His last apprentice died as well."

"Really?" Sparrowpaw wondered.

"Yes." Dawnsun replied eerily. "Heatherpaw was also killed, but by a badger."

"Let's take his body back to camp." Skyheart mewed. "We don't want the rats to get at it."

"Good idea." mewed Dawnsun. So the warriors and their apprentices took the body of Foxpaw back to camp.

Redpelt gasped as soon as he caught a glimpse of his mutilated apprentice. "What happened?"

"We found him like this on the border between our territory and AshClan's." Skyheart replied.

Redpelt's eyes blazed with fury. "I'll flay Shroudclaw!" he shrieked. Then he burst into uncontrollable sobbing. "Why StarClan? Why do you take every one of my apprentices? Am I cursed?"

Then Ravenwing, Foxpaw's mother, came forward out of the warrior's den. "Foxpaw?" She buried her head into her son's blood soaked fur. Behind her was Icepaw, Foxpaw's sister, who did the same thing as her mother.

Tomstar walked forward. "We will hold vigil for Foxpaw the rest of the night."

Sparrowpaw sat down next to Foxpaw. He had never been close to the apprentice but Sparrowpaw knew that Shroudclaw was responsible and Foxpaw was only his first victim.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE:

Spying

Sandstar and Poppyseed got back to the AshClan camp well before sunset and decided to check on Shroudclaw and his followers. Sandstar didn't know for sure if they were actually were his followers of just warriors led astray but in her mind she couldn't trust them.

Sandstar padded into the warrior's den to find them lying around. No one was talking to each other and Sandstar found odd for warriors confined to one den. "How's everything doing?" Sandstar asked the warriors.

"Fine." Shroudclaw answered. He didn't say anything else. Sandstar also found this odd. Before a few nights ago he had been talking up a storm about nothing on subject. Now he couldn't think of any words to say otherwise. Sandstar wondered if Poppyseed was thinking the same thing.

"You can talk to each other, you know." Sandstar told them. Poppyseed looked at her as if she was out of her mind.

"Are you crazy?" Poppyseed whispered into Sandstar's ear. "You heard what Tomstar suggested!"

"Yes, I did." Sandstar whispered back.

"Yeah, we know." Shroudclaw replied ignoring Poppyseed interruption. "We just don't have anything to talk about."

Sandstar thought of what to say next. Then she noticed a hole in the back of the den. _That wasn't there last time I was in here. And that was yesterday searching for Strongkit._ She decided not to say anything about it.

"I just wanted you to know that your punishments will only be for the rest of today and then your free to go on with your regular schedule." Sandstar mewed. She knew that she could be sentencing herself to death but she wanted to see what Shroudclaw would do.

"If you say so." Shroudclaw mewed, revealing no emotion.

Sandstar nodded to them and padded out of the den with Poppyseed right behind her. "You want to get yourself killed, don't you?" Poppyseed asked as soon as they got into Sandstar's den. "They were supposed to be punished until the full moon."

"That's only in three days anyway." Sandstar reminded her. "So, I'm only taking away three days. You know that we've been short on patrols lately because of their absence."

"But they were allowed to hunt." remarked Poppyseed.

"They decided not to." Sandstar mewed. "And who'd blame them? I don't think our other warriors are very fond of them very much at the moment and I think some of them would kill Shroudclaw if they got the chance."

"Isn't that what you want?" Poppyseed asked. Sandstar gasped. "Your surprised I thought that! This is the cat that is trying to get all the rest of us killed. He shouldn't be part of this Clan!"

Sandstar didn't want to talk about Shroudclaw anymore. "I'll assign Sunclaw to make sure they don't get into any more trouble."

"Isn't that just putting Sunclaw into more danger." Poppyseed brought up.

"I guess but I think he's the best warrior we've got besides Leafdapple and I don't want Leafdapple to know about the threat to my life. If he did he'd get nervous because he could be leader soon, and that wouldn't be good for the Clan." Sandstar mewed.

"Sandstar, I think you need some rest. After all, you hurt your head on that rock on the way back from BrambleClan pretty hard." Poppyseed mewed.

"It's not even sunset yet!" Sandstar scoffed. "I still have plenty of time. I'll go tell Sunclaw about his new job." The leader didn't wait for Poppyseed's reply and ran out the den.

{SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CLEARING} Sunclaw was eating a thrush alone when Sandstar ran up to him, tripping over his tail and falling in to the dust. "Are you okay, Sandstar?" he asked wondering if the leader was losing her mind.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Sandstar replied jumping off the ground. She landed right next to Sunclaw. "I've got a job for you." she told him, getting straight to what she wanted.

"What?" Sunclaw asked, not prepared for the question he was about to be asked.

"Will you spy on Shroudclaw and his friends to make sure they don't do anything bad?" Sandstar asked.

Sunclaw was shocked.

"Um," Sunclaw couldn't think of anything to say. It was everyday a warrior was asked to spy on another warrior by their leader. "Why don't you ask Leafdapple if he'll do it? He's your deputy after all?"

"That's not gonna work." Sandstar replied. "You're the only warrior capable of such an important job."

Sunclaw wondered if the AshClan leader truly was going out of her mind. "I guess I'll do it." Sunclaw replied.

"Thank you, Sunclaw." Sandstar mewed happily, padding off back to her den. Sunclaw watched as Poppyseed walked up to her and they quickly rushed into the leader's den.

_Shroudclaw gonna kill me_, Sunclaw thought. _When he finds out about this!_

Sunclaw wondered if he should only pretend to spy on Shroudclaw and tell Sandstar fake reports. He sat for a while debating with himself when he decided that it probably wasn't a very good idea to disobey a direct order from his leader.

He figured he'd have to start the next day so Sunclaw decided to go to asleep for it was oficially sunset then, so he could wake before Shroudclaw and his friends woke.

Sunclaw walked into the warrior's den to find Shroudclaw and his warrior's talking softly. "Don't worry about me." Sunclaw told them. "I'm really tired. I'll be alseep in a few minutes, then you can keep talking."

Shroudclaw nodded to him and Sunclaw sat down and closed his eyes. He lay for a few minutes, sleep not coming. Eventually Shroudclaw and his friend's starting talking again. "Do you think he's alseep?" asked Coniferleaf.

"Of course he's alseep, mouse-brain!" Shroudclaw growled. "What kind of idiot just comes and lies down when cats that got in trouble for attacking BrambleClan without consent are here and angry."

"I was just wondering. You didn't have to be a jerk about it." Coniferleaf mewed, obviously a bit hurt.

"Sorry." Shroudclaw mewed, not sounding very sorry at all. "It's just that Sandstar makes me so angry all the time. I can't wait for the day we get rid of her."

_They are going to get rid of her!_

"Do you all know the plan for tomorrow?" Shroudclaw asked the other cats.

_Haha! I won't have to do anything to spy on them tomorrow! I'll know their whole plan!_

"I don't." Shadowpaw mewed. Sunclaw wondered what the apprentice was doing in the warrior's den but guessed he was going to leave after the little talk.

"Alright." groaned Shroudclaw. "I'll have to explain it to the puny apprentice." He paused a second. "I want you to tell Ranchleaf that you aren't feeling good tomorrow so you're free the whole day. Then we'll meet at the Oak Tree mid-day. We'll head toward StrayClan territory and wait for some unknowing apprentice to stumble across our path. We'll kill him and leave plenty of AshClan scent so they'll know just who to get mad at."

"What about the rogues?" Coniferleaf asked. "Aren't we supposed to-"

"I was getting to that!" Shroudclaw snapped. "We'll travel back into out territory and then head toward the Twolegplace. We have to gather up as many rogues as possible. Then we'll bring them to them to start to kill off cats and attack territories, telling the Clans that AshClan had sent them so Sandstar won't blame it on us anymore and the other Clans will still blame deaths on AshClan. Then the other three Clans will attack us and I will have an opening to kill Leafdapple and Sandstar and take over this Clan."

"Couldn't we just tell the rogues to come and attack us?" Shadowpaw suggested.

"Uh, it's been done." Shroudclaw replied. "We wanted to try something a little more complicated."

_Who's done it before? I don't remember of any cat bringing rogues to attack their own Clan to become leader!_

"Then that's all?" Shadowpaw asked.

"Yep." Shroudclaw replied.

"Then I'd better go before any more warriors spot me. I'm surprised Sunclaw didn't notice me." Shadowpaw mewed. Sunclaw was surprised too. He was glad he had had the idea of going to asleep early because otherwise he'd never have heard this conversation and his job would've been so much harder. Now all he had to do is get Coniferleaf and Shroudclaw on patrol and leave the others to try an operation by themselves. He figured since they were the only ones that talked besides Shadowpaw so they were the leaders of Shroudclaw's group.

Sunclaw's last thoughts were consumed by thoughts of a battle. A battle that would possibly end in tradgedy.

{DAWN} Sunclaw woke up at dawn the next day and to his relief Shroudclaw and Coniferleaf were still alseep. Sunclaw got up and went straight to Sandstar's den. Her eyes looked bloodshot, as if she had been up all night. "Sandstar, were you up all night?"

Sandstar looked at him. "Beats me." she mewed. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I want you to tell Leafdapple to put Shroudclaw and Coniferleaf on a patrol that will take most of the day because I know that they're are planning something for today and if they're busy then they can't go on with it." Sunclaw quickly mewed.

"Alright. You can go tell him." Sandstar mewed. "I think I'm going to take a little nap." And with that Sandstar fell down right onto her moss, asleep.

Sunclaw walked out of his leader's den and looked around for Leafdapple. He saw him by the fresh-kill pile, eating alone. Sunclaw quickly went up to him and told him that Shroudclaw and Coniferleaf were to be on a patrol that would occupy their day.

"Are you sure?" Leafdapple asked. "Usually warriors have a little bit of free time each day."

Sunclaw shook his head. "Sandstar told me that they were to be busy all day."

"Is you say so." Leafdapple mewed. "I believe you." Sunclaw walked away and wondered what he was going to do. He decided that he'd join the a patrol.

So he went back to Leafdapple. "What do you want now, Sunclaw?" asked Leafdapple.

"I was wondering if I could join a patrol." he replied.

"When Mousecloud and Fernleaf wake up you can go on a border patrol." Leafdapple mewed. "Until then you can just hang out or do whatever you want. Just stay close so they can find you."

"Okay." Sunclaw mewed. He decided he'd just bask in the bright sun and lay in some grass, while watching the warriors den for any warriors to come out. He waited many moments and finally Fernleaf and Mousecloud came out. Leafdapple approached them and told them about the patrol. They nodded and headed towards him. Sunclaw stood up and greeted them. "Let's go."

"Let's check the border between us and StrayClan first." Sunclaw suggested, wanting to check if the other warriors in Shroudclaw's group had followed out with the plan.

The other warriors agreed and they headed off toward that border. During the whole border patrol they found no hints of the Shroudclaw group's plan They came back a little bit before dawn, after a bit of hunting. As they walked in Leafdapple approached them. "Did you see Shroudclaw and Coniferleaf out there?" he asked.

"No, why?" Sunclaw asked. He could see what was coming. _Please don't say they're not in camp!_

"Because they're no where in camp." Leafdapple mewed. Sunclaw's heart sank. But the deputy went on. "And either are Shadowpaw, Blackstripe, Raggedtail, Cloudfire, and Firefeather."

Those were all the cats that had been at that meeting.

Without say another word Sunclaw ran out of the camp. He heard shouts of "Sunclaw! Wait!" but he ignored them. He had to find those cats! He ran as fast as he could and as he entered StrayClan territory he saw them walking quite a bit ahead of them. He called to them. "Shroudclaw!" he yelled.

They ran toward him. "What do you want?" Shroudclaw growled. Sunclaw noticed he was being circled. "Or should we just kill you now?"

"I want to join you." Sunclaw mewed without thinking. _Great StarClan! How am I going to get out of this?_

"Are you sure?" asked Shroudclaw. "You realize we won't be able to go back after today. We know Sandstar knows we're going to kill her now. Do you want to be a part of that."

"Yes." Sunclaw replied.

"Okay." Shroudclaw mewed. "I assume you weren't asleep yesterday during our meeting?"

"Nope." Sunclaw replied.

"Good," Shroudclaw mewed. Sunclaw was surprised by that. "That means I don't have to waste time explaining the plan. Let's go." Sunclaw followed the cats wondering if he would have to act in the killing of the apprentice.

They hid behind a few bushes and waited. Sure enough, after a while an apprentice came strolling along. "Hello?" he called out. "Is anyone there."

Shroudclaw stepped out.

"Who are you?" the apprentice mewed quivering. Sunclaw could see the scene then but he moved so the tree blocked his vision.

"I'm your worst nightmare." Shroudclaw growled. Sunclaw heard a shriek, cut off quickly, that signified the apprentices' death.

"Now let's go recruit some rogues." Shroudclaw mewed happily, as if the murder he just commited didn't bother him at all. "Are you ready, Sunclaw?"

"Yes, Shroudclaw." Sunclaw mewed, dreading every second following Shroudclaw the murderer.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX:

Secrets Revealed

Emeraldpaw woke up and decided to lay there for a little while longer. He had stayed up later by the body of Foxpaw. He knew Shroudclaw was responsible for the murder and Emeraldpaw hated him for that. He knew that Emeraldpaw could be in the same place as Foxpaw if it wasn't for Skyheart coming at the right time.

Emeraldpaw thought for a while finally got up and went out of the apprentices den. He saw Sparrowpaw and Rainpaw sharing a large thrush and talking. They noticed Emeraldpaw and nodded to him. "Come and share this thrush with us." Rainpaw greeted.

Emeraldpaw sat down next to Sparrowpaw and took a bite of the thrush. It tasted great. Emeraldpaw remembered when he had eaten the rotten mouse and wondered if that was the only piece of prey that had been tainted. The thought quickly left his mind as they began to talk. "Skyheart told me that we're going to be learning battling moves today!" Sparrowpaw told Emeraldpaw excitedlly.

"When are we going to start?" Emeraldpaw asked.

"When we're done eating!" Sparrowpaw mewed excitedly. Emeraldpaw stood up and looked around for their mentors. He saw them talking, most like about what moves to teach the apprentices.

Emeraldpaw and Sparrowpaw left Rainpaw behind and ran toward their mentors. Emeraldpaw, feeling sorry for his sister, looked back and called, "I'll teach you everything I learn!" Rainpaw smiled at him.

"Are you two ready to go?" asked Skyheart.

"Yes!" Sparrowpaw and Emeraldpaw answered together.

Dawnsun and Skyheart led them to the training hollow. "Today we'll be learning the lightning strike today." Dawnsun meowed.

"This is how it goes." Skyheart mewed. "I'll demonstrate on Dawnsun." Dawnsun started walking away. "First I track the enemy through the forest. Obviously we wouldn't use this during a battle but it's useful for getting cats that are getting away." He kept walking until he was right behind Dawsun. "It is very important to wait to attack until your patrol leader gives the signal. If your on your own make your best judgement. Then, you pounce!" He pushed down with his hind paws and sprang out landing on top of Dawnsun's haunches. He knocked her down and held her too the ground.

"That's not very cool!" Sparrowpaw groaned. "That's boring!"

"That's not the whole thing!" Skyheart mewed. He started running away. "We pretend to retreat. The enemy thinks we've given up. But we don't run far. We stay quiet and watchful, waiting until the invading cats relax, assuming that we've disappeared into the forest to lick our wounds. They won't expect us to attack them again so soon, not here. After all, lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice. But we do! We attack again, as hard and as fast as before!"

"Now that's cool!" Emeraldpaw remarked.

Suddenly they heard a loud shriek, like someone being hurt, and then a battle cry. It was Tomstar's battle cry. "Come on!" Skyheart mewed frantically. "We're being attacked!"

Emeraldpaw and Sparrowpaw sprinted, getting in front of Dawnsun and catching up to Skyheart. They ran into the camp and saw a frenzy of battle. Skyheart and Dawnsun leaped into the battle immediately. Emeraldpaw checked out who was in the battle. He recognized two of the cats who had been with Shroudclaw when he had tried to kill him. Then he saw Shroudclaw battling with Tomstar.

"Get out of our territory, Shroudclaw!" Tomstar hissed at the warrior.

"I fight for AshClan!" Shroudclaw growled swatting at the leader. Suddenly, Emeraldpaw was tackled to the ground.

"Hello, little kit. I remember you!" a voice mewed. Emeraldpaw looked up and saw the cat that must've been Shroudclaw's number 2 cat. Emeraldpaw kicked up with his back legs and scratched the cat's belly. Emeraldpaw noticed that he only scraped the surface, leaving to small of a wound for the cat to stop. Suddenly a white tom ran up to him. "Leave the kit alone, Coniferleaf!" the tom mewed. "Shroudclaw said to get rid of Skyheart, Tomstar, and the warriors, not any kits!"

Coniferleaf leaped off him. "You're lucky, kit! I'll get you someday!" The tom leaped onto Owlfeather and wrestled him to a ground. Emeraldpaw leaped into the frenzy and threw Coniferleaf off of Owfeather.

"Thanks." Owlfeather grunted gaining the upper hand against Coniferleaf.

"No problem!" Emeraldpaw yowled running toward his mentor, who was pinned against the ground by a cat he didn't recognize. The cat smelled of crow-food. Emeraldpaw leaped onto the cat's haunches and knocked the cat over, letting Dawnsun take his place on top of the other cat.

Suddenly, Emeraldpaw heard another battle cry and watch as new cats flooded into the BrambleClan camp. _Not more enemies! _Emeraldpaw mewed dismayed. Then he noticed the new cats were attacking the rogues and Shroudclaw's group. He figured they must be either StrayClan or SkyClan because he knew what AshClan smelled like.

Emeraldpaw continued to give his clanmates the upper hand in the battle until Shroudclaw's shriek rose. "Retreat!"

The opposing cats bolted out of the camp hurriedly.

Tomstar walked up to an old gray cat that had led the other Clan in. "Thank you, Skystar." Tomstar mewed his thanks to the StrayClan leader. "BrambleClan may not have won this battle if it wasn't for you."

"We didn't come to help you." Skystar mewed. "We came to talk about a recent happening. We found one of our apprentices, Minepaw, dead on our border with AshClan and wondered if you would want to join us in fighting them. They must be taught a lesson."

"It is not AshClan." Tomstar told the other leader.

"But it was on the border and the body reeked of AshClan scent!" Skystar pointed out.

"Shroudclaw is responsible for that apprentice's death, not AshClan. Shroudclaw also killed one of our apprentices and just led that attack." Tomstar informed Skystar.

"This is disturbing news." Skystar mewed, accepting the truth. "Is it okay if my warriors and I stay here for a while, while we rest from the battle."

"Fine by me." Tomstar mewed. "What do you think, Skyheart."

"Sure." Skyheart mewed.

{SPARROWPAW'S PERSPECTIVE} Skyheart called Sparrowpaw over. The BrambleClan deputy was talking with the StrayClan leader. "Sparrowpaw, it's time that I told you about my past. I used to be a StrayClan cat."

"How is that possible?" Sparrowpaw asked.

"My mother was in BrambleClan and my father was in StrayClan." Skyheart mewed.

Sparrowpaw looked at Skystar. _Why is he here?_ "Why is he here?" Sparrowpaw asked Skyheart.

"He's my father." Skyheart mewed. "He raised me in StrayClan until the old BrambleClan leader wanted me to go to BrambleClan to be with my mother instead."

"And why are you telling me this?" Sparrowpaw asked. He wondered why the elders hadn't already told him all about it.

"Because you're my apprentice and over the next few moons we'll be very close so I didn't want to be keeping secrets from you." Skyheart mewed. When Sparrowpaw did not reply Skyheart kept talking. "You may now go and talk to your friends."

Sparrowpaw nodded and went off to talk to Emeraldpaw and Rainpaw. He didn't think that the fact that Skyheart was from StrayClan was that big of a deal but whatever.

He found Emeraldpaw and Rainpaw talking to two StrayClan apprentices, Hollowpaw and Windpaw.

"This is Hollowpaw and Windpaw." Rainpaw introduced Sparrowpaw to the other apprentices. "This is Sparrowpaw."

"Hi." Sparrowpaw mewed to the other apprentices and they greeted him back.

They talked for quite a while until Skystar annouced they were leaving. But then he kept talking. "Also, I would like to ask if Skyheart would like to rejoin StrayClan?"

"Why would he do that?" Tigerstripe leaped up in defense of the Clan deputy. "He's not a traitor!"

"I'm his father." Skystar growled at the young warrior. "Stay out of this."

Tigerstripe stepped back with shock and let Skyheart speak. "No, father." Skyheart mewed. "I will not join you. I am deputy of BrambleClan and proud to say that they are my Clan. You put up no fight to keep me and I don't see you as my father. I'm sorry, Skystar. I'm fine where I am."

Skystar stepped back shocked then beckoned for his Clan to leave. "If that's how it is, fine." Skystar sounded hurt. "Goodbye, son. Remember I will always love you, no matter if you don't love me."

Sparrowpaw saw no expression on Skyheart's face as his father left, along with the rest of StrayClan.


	8. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN:

The Hunt for Shroudclaw

Leafdapple woke up and got up. He had duties to do all the time so he couldn't just sit there and rest in the morning like the other warriors. Being deputy was hard work and Leafdapple loved every second of it.

Dapplepaw, Fernleaf, and Snowpaw were already awake so Leafdapple decided to send them on the dawn patrol, even though it was a little after dawn. He told them and a few moments after they left Sandstar walked out of her den. Leafdapple approached her. "Are we going to send more patrols to look for signs of ShroudClan?" he asked her.

Sandstar looked at him gravely. "That's not working. They are not stupid, Leafdapple. They don't just sit around in our territory waiting for us to find them and punish them. They are out in other territories, Twolegplace, or some other land, waiting for unsuspecting cats to come across them."

"What are you saying?" asked Leafdapple. He had a guess of what she was implying but she hoped he was wrong.

"I think we should gather a group of cats, two from each Clan, and search until they find ShroudClan. Then they attack and kill them, unless some of them want to rejoin the Clans. It's their choice." Sandstar mewed.

He was right.

"And do you think the other Clans will go along with this?" Leafdapple asked. "Sending out warriors to find a group of cats that a murderous?"

"I think they would do it for the sake of their Clans." Sandstar mewed. "Now I want you and Poppyseed to go to each of the other Clans and begin the patrol."

"You want it to start today?" Leafdapple asked, a little bit baffled. They were short of warriors already and now he had to pick another warrior to come with him. Shroudclaw could attack while AshClan was so vulnerable, without deputy, medicine cat, and missing a warrior. "Do you think that's wise, Sandstar? Plus it's the night of the Gathering!"

"I guess you and Gorsefur will have to miss this Gathering." Sandstar mewed. Leafdapple wondered why she had picked Gorsefur. He was a new warrior, having his ceremony only a moon ago.

"If you say so, Sandstar." Leafdapple mewed. "I'll be off then."

He got Poppyseed and Gorsefur, explaining the situation to them. They were about to cross the StrayClan border when they heard a shout. "Hey, Leafdapple!" Leafdapple looked up to see Russettail, the StrayClan deputy, with Marshclaw and Highwing behind him, running toward the border.

They got to the border and caught their breath quickly. "What are you doing trying to walk into your territory?"

"We need to talk to Skystar." Leafdapple mewed. "It's really important."

"If you say so." Russettail mewed. He started to lead to them to the StrayClan camp. Leafdapple wondered why the StrayClan deputy let them enter his territory so freely without a proper explanation. He pushed the thought out of his mind as the scent of StrayClan cats got stronger.

In a matter of seconds they entered the StrayClan camp and were met by Skystar. "What are you doing with these AshClan cats?" the leader asked Russettail.

"They need to talk to you." the deputy replied. "It's very important."

Skystar beckoned them to come into his den. They followed him and sat down in his down. "Now what's all this about?" asked Skystar.

"Sandstar wants to send a patrol out to find Shroudclaw's group." Leafdapple mewed. "She said we could get two cats from every Clan and send a patrol out to find them and kill them."

"That's a good idea." Skystar mewed.

_Is he mad?_ Leafdapple asked himself. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Leafdapple asked the leader. "It will endanger your warrior's lives." If the other Clans refused then maybe Sandstar would abandon the idea.

"Yes. I will send Whitebrush and Marshclaw with you." Skystar mewed. He stood up and walked outside. The AshClan cats followed. The leader fetched the two warriors and told them the plan. They looked excited.

"Let's get going." Leafdapple mewed. "We still have to drop Poppyseed off back at AshClan and go to both SkyClan and BrambleClan."

"I can get myself back to the camp." Poppyseed defended herself.

"Okay." Leafdapple mewed getting the patrol started again.

The were silent for a long time, Poppyseed leaving when we neared the border. All was silent until they got to the border with SkyClan. "Should we wait for a patrol?" asked Whitebrush.

"No." Leafdapple replied. "This is urgent. They'll understand." They didn't get far into the territory before they were stopped by a patrol.

"What is AshClan and StrayClan doing as a patrol on our territory?" demanded Ashstripe.

"We need to talk to Brackenstar." Leafdapple mewed.

"Very well." Ashstripe scowled. "But don't try anything funny."

They went to the SkyClan camp and were met by a barracade of odd looks. Leafdapple heard a hiss from the elder's den. "That smells like AshClan and StrayClan! Are they attacking?"

Leafdapple ignored it and noticed Brackenstar and Duststripe walking towards them.

"What is it, Leafdapple?" he asked.

"We should talk in private." Leafdapple mewed.

They went into Brackenstar's den and sat down. Leafdapple went right to buisness. "Sandstar wants to have a patrol to find Shroudclaw." he mewed.

"Who's Shroudclaw?" Brackenstar asked.

Leafdapple was dumbfounded. He never thought that maybe SkyClan hadn't known that Shroudclaw was responsible for anything bad. Maybe they still thought that AshClan did it. Or nothing had happened at all.

"He's a former AshClan warrior who former a group to ruin AshClan's reputation so the other Clans will attack us and he'll take over." Leafdapple explained quickly.

"And why would I care?" Brackenstar asked.

"Because he's killed a kit in AshClan, an apprentice in BrambleClan, and an apprentice in StrayClan. Your next, unless we can stop him." Leafdapple mewed.

Brackenstar thought for a minute. "What do you think, Duststripe?" he asked the deputy.

"I think we should send cats with them." Duststripe mewed. "If the other Clans are threatened we should be threatened as well."

"Very well." Brackenstar mewed. "Go tell Stormsky and Honeystripe about the patrol and tell them that they'll be leaving immediately so they should say their goodbyes now."

Duststripe nodded and ran out of the den.

"So, where will this patrol be going?" asked Brackenstar.

"Across all of the territories, in twolegplace, and beyond anywhere we've been." Leafdapple explained. "We don't really have any idea where they could be at all."

"I see." Brackenstar mewed. "Well, I wish you all great luck in finding Shroudclaw."

Leafdapple dipped his head to the SkyClan leader and walked out of the den. Stormsky and Honeystripe were already ready to leave so they got on their way to BrambleClan right away.

Stormsky and Honeystripe talked to the other Clan cats but Leafdapple never bothered to respond. Gorsefur always covered for him saying, "He's just thinking, don't take it the wrong way."

Eventually they got to BrambleClan territory. This time they weren't confronted by a patrol until they were very close to camp. Skyheart led the patrol. "Greetings, Leafdapple." he noticed the many Clans in front of him. "What are you doing here with StrayClan and SkyClan?"

"We need to speak with Tomstar. You may here it as well but it's more of a private matter. As in not for warriors' ears." Leafdapple mewed.

Skyheart led them into the camp. Tomstar was talking to another warrior when he noticed the group of mixed Clans walking into his camp. "What are they doing here?" he asked Skyheart.

"They need to talk to us." Skyheart mewed.

Tomstar invited them into his den and they sat down. Leafdapple explained Sandstar's idea to the BrambleClan leader. Tomstar thought for a few moments then spoke. "I will send Tigerstripe and Stormclaw."

"Shall I go tell them?" asked Skyheart.

"Yes." Tomstar mewed. "Tell them they have two minutes to say their final goodbyes and such."

Skyheart nodded walking out of the den. Tomstar led the patrol into the clearing where they waited for the final two members of their patrol to join them. Tigerstripe and Stormclaw came after a few moments and the patrol went off.

The search for Shroudclaw had begun.


	9. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT:

A Disrupted Gathering

Rainpaw heard Mysticleaf's call and figured it was time for the Gathering. She walked out of the medicine cat's den to see Mysticleaf and the rest of the cats going to the Gathering waiting for her to come.

"Sorry." Rainpaw mewed following the group who started walking as soon as Rainpaw had come out of the den. They walked through the territory very quickly and were at the Mulchpile very quickly.

The Mulchpile was the place where the Clans met every full moon to share news. They came under peace so if there was any dispute they could solve it without any conflict.

BrambleClan were the first Clan there. They waited for a while and eventually the other Clans got there. Rainpaw and Mysticleaf met up with the other medicine cats, Poppyseed, Stareyes, Thrushleaf, Pinetail, and Nettlepaw.

"Hi, I'm Rainpaw, the medicine cat apprentice from BrambleClan." Rainpaw introduced herself to Nettlepaw.

"Hey, Rainpaw." he greeted. "I'm Nettlepaw."

They talked until Brackenstar called for the Gathering to begin. "Let's start the Gathering!" he called out. He cleared his throat, preparing to talk. "SkyClan has suffered no losses from Shroudclaw's group and are sad for the other cats that have died from him."

"Thank you, Skystar." the other leaders thanked.

Brackenstar continued. "I am proud to have my Clan part of the patrol to stop Shroudclaw and can't wait for the day they come back with news of his death."

A voice from the crowd called out, "Isn't that a bit extreme?" he asked. Rainpaw agreed with the warrior. The warrior code said that you don't have to kill to win a battle.

"Yes," Brackenstar admitted. "But if we don't kill him he will continue to murder and threaten us." Rainpaw wondered why Brackenstar was so passionate about this when he had never been threathened by Shroudclaw. Rainpaw then wondered why Shroudclaw had attacked BrambleClan several times but never SkyClan.

Tomstar spoke up. "I agree with Brackenstar." he mewed. "I think Shroudclaw should be stopped by any means necessary."

All was silent for a second and then Skystar spoke. "I will speak on behalf of StrayClan now." He waited until he had the attention of every cat, including the other leaders then he began. "We lost Minepaw to Shroudclaw but have two new apprentices. Hollowpaw and Windpaw, who are here right now, have been apprentices for a few days."

"Hollowpaw! Windpaw!" the Clans rejoiced the new apprentices. Rainpaw was glad that even in these times of darkness that the Clans could share nice moments every once and a while.

"Also, my deputy Russettail decided to retire today and Highwing is my new deputy." Skystar mewed. Highwing stood up, the least bit embarassed. He sat back down and the Gathering went on.

"I will speak next." Tomstar mewed. "We lost Foxpaw to Shroudclaw and, like StrayClan, have gained three new apprentices, one of which a medicine cat apprentice. Rainpaw, Emeraldpaw, and Sparrow, please stand up!"

Rainpaw stood up, very embarrassed. She saw Emeraldpaw and Sparrowpaw standing up, equally embarrased. They sat down and Tomstar continued talking. "Two days ago we were attacked by Shroudclaw and his followers and with the help of StrayClan we fought them off. We don't know where they ran off to of course but none of our warriors or StrayClan's warriors were killed in the fight."

"I'm glad to here that, Tomstar." Sandstar mewed. "Now it is my turn." She paused. Then continued. "We have lost many cats to Shroudclaw, not through death but because they joined him."

The clearing was silent.

"That's all I have to say." Sandstar mewed. "I guess this Gathering is-"

She was interrupted by a rough voice. "Not yet!"

Rainpaw turned her head to see Shroudclaw and his group walking toward the Mulchpile.

"Shroudclaw!" growled Sandstar. "You have no reason to be here."

"Of course I do, you old fool! I am Shroudstar, leader of ShroudClan and have a duty to come to every Gathering as StarClan commends me." Shroudclaw mewed.

"Are you telling me StarClan actually granted you nine lives?" asked Brackenstar. "If I believed that I'd believe anything!"

"I am now Shroudstar and I will speak at this Gathering." Shroudstar mewed. "As for my Clan we will continue to live and hunt freely. You will let us pass throughout your territory without any agression or we will kill kits, apprentices, leaders, medicine cats, whatever it takes to tell you we're in charge and we will not tolerate such behavior."

Rainpaw could barely comprehend the threat that Shroudstar had just made.

"We will leave now." Shroudstar mewed to his warriors. Shroudstar walked away without any Clan cats challenging him.

"Should we track him?" asked Skystar.

"There's no point." Brackenstar replied. "We might as well tell the patrol that the should go back to camp."

Rainpaw didn't know what the patrol was for a second but then she got it. The patrol hunting for Shroudstar.

"I agree." Tomstar mewed.

"I as well." Sandstar mewed.

"Alright then." Skystar mewed. "Then the Gathering is over."

The other leaders nodded and led their Clans back to their camps.

Rainpaw wondered why Shroudstar had come. _Maybe to make sure we knew he was prepared to kill, _she thought darkly.


End file.
